THE COIN COLLECTOR - World eBook Library

TERMINOLOGY
James II., the Pretender, and others, is usually
pierced. When the hole is closed by solder, the coin is
said to be plugged. Touch-pieces are almost invariably
pierced for suspension.
Plack and half- plack — A billon denomination
struck under James III. of Scotland (1460-88) and his
successors. It seems to have merged in the bawbee.
Plated, Fr. argente — Washed with a solution of
silver, or silver and zinc, like many of the Roman
denarii and the more modern European coins of lower
values.
Platinum—A hard and scarce metal employed by the
Russian Government between 1828 and 1855 for coins
of three, six, and twelve roubles. The twelve-rouble
piece of 1831 is very rare.
Popular names of Greek coins—It seems that the
Greeks, like the moderns in their crowns and sovereigns,
&c, were accustomed to christen their pieces of money
in common parlance by the familiar type, as the virgin
and the owl at Athens, the tortoise at iEgina, the colt
(young horse) at Corinth, and perhaps the hare at
Rhegium. In the same way a stater of Philip or Alex-
ander of Macedon may have been known as a phUippos
or an alexander.
Potin—Base metal.
Pound or livre Scots = the franc— (i.) A gold de-
nomination of Scotland under James VI. (1st coinage,
257 r